“The Forum” Magazine Stories2025-06-06T12:56:22-04:00
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Carrying the Al-Anon Message Online

Whether we use social media to connect with friends and family or follow our favorite interests, it has become a large part of our lives. Social media is one way we can carry the Al‑Anon message, but it can

The Value of Sharing Our Experience

Before Al‑Anon, I thought the loving thing to do when anyone shared their problems with me was to offer them my best advice about how to fix whatever the problem was. Whether I had any expertise related to their

I Needed Help…and Support

When I first got into the program, I saw a sign hanging on the wall of a therapist’s office that read, “When the pain is greater than the fear, then you are ready”—ready to change. But because my fear

Happiness Is My Choice

I started Al‑Anon in my 30s. I’m now in my 70s. My perceptions of my alcoholic loved one have changed. I used to blame him for everything. If I was in a bad mood, it was because of him.

I Am No Longer Alone

Before I came to Al‑Anon, a counselor told me that my soul was dry. I had no idea what she meant. I was angry and frustrated, and I blamed others for my problems. My dad drank too much, but

Unfurling As Myself

There came a time in my recovery when I became aware of something missing, some imbalance. I was aware of my shortcomings and had become more willing to make amends and changes. The image of me emerging from

Revisiting Trust

Before Al-Anon I trusted everyone and no one. How could that be? I had no boundaries, so I blabbed and complained to anyone who would listen. Yet, I didn’t share with those who mattered in my life, because

Tapping into Serenity

One morning, I was sitting outside enjoying a cup of tea and looking at the trees across an open field. A slight mist drifted through the treetops, and a large maple dropped the occasional spinning seed that floated

Translation FAQ

Part of our mission at Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. (AFG, Inc.) is to serve our global fellowship by publishing our Conference Approved Literature (CAL) in three languages: English, Spanish, and French. We also frequently receive inquiries about

I Gave Myself Another Look

After decades of being a chameleon, changing and adapting myself to safely belong, I didn’t have a solid grasp of who I truly was. The small sense of self I developed growing up in an alcoholic home was

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